Forced to go to Switzerland

Not only forced to go to Switzerland, and to die away from his home but to die earlier than he would have done. This article reports the story of Colin Campbell, who has “primary progressive MS, a rarer form of the disease affecting around 10-15 per cent of sufferers, where symptoms steadily worsen over time without any periods of remission”.

The disgraceful cruelty towards people at the end of their lives continues in the UK as it does here. And the inequity – as Colin says: the lack of legal doctor-provided assisted dying in the UK “is creating a culture of ‘suicide for the rich’, with only better-off patients able to afford the fees and flights for Dignitas”.

It’s so much harder and more costly for Australians. Nevertheless according to the Dignitas submission to the Victorian inquiry into end of life choices:

In the over 17 years of DIGNITAS’ existence, 20 Australian – of whom one of the State of Victoria – have made use of the option of a self-determined self-enacted ending of suffering and life with DIGNITAS in Switzerland. p3.